Chapter 003 Office Communications 

Multiple Choice Questions 1. At the beginning of the communication cycle, who organizes the message? A. PatientB. PhysicianC. SenderD. Receiver 2. What is the chosen method for transmitting a message? A. ChannelB. FormatC. MessageD. Line 3. Giving words and gestures to ideas is known as: A. IllustratingB. ImprovisingC. CodingD. Encoding 4. A slightly tilted head or a perplexed look may indicate that the receiver is: A. NervousB. ConfusedC. ShyD. Aggravated 5. A barrier to effective communication is: A. Inactive listeningB. Active listening 

6. All of these items contribute to our unspoken message, except: A. HairstyleB. Eye contactC. AppearanceD. Facial Expression 7. One of the most visible and expressive parts of the body is: A. FaceB. Hands 8. This is expressed nonverbally by making and keeping eye contact with an audience. A. ApprehensionB. NervousnessC. HappinessD. Confidence 

9. When direct eye contact is maintained, a level of __________ is established. A. CaringB. TrustC. UnderstandingD. Responsibility 10. The public zone used for most public speaking events should be ________ feet or more from your audience. A. 8B. 10C. 12D. 6 

11. A social zone is used for communication within __________ feet of our audience. A. 3 to 6B. 6 to12C. 4 to 12D. 5 to 10 12. This type of letter places the dateline at 2 inches. A. Block-styleB. Modified Block 13. How many types of punctuation are used in business letters? A. OneB. TwoC. ThreeD. Four 14. This type of punctuation requires placing a colon after the salutation and a comma after the complementary closing. A. Standard punctuationB. Open punctuation 15. This type of letter is used when a physician transfers part or all of a patient's care to another physician. A. Follow-up letterB. Referral letterC. Letter of informationD. Letter of acknowledgment 

16. When composing the body of an e-mail, the standard protocol is to address how many topics? A. As many as necessaryB. ThreeC. TwoD. One 17. What should always be done prior to hitting SEND on an e-mail? A. CopyingB. SavingC. ProofreadingD. Printing 18. The main channel of communication between the patient and the physician is: A. Face-to-faceB. The telephoneC. E-mailD. Regular mail 19. What should always be done prior to placing a caller on hold? A. Ask permissionB. Take a messageC. Pull the chartD. Obtain their telephone number 20. If you must keep a caller on hold for more than _____ seconds, go back on the line and ask the caller if they wish to continue holding. A. 15B. 30C. 45D. 60 

21. There are many ways to answer the phone, but the preferred method is to answer with: A. "Hello"B. "Good morning"C. "Dr. _____'s officethis is _____."D. "Please hold the line" 22. Which of the following calls should not be handled by taking a message? A. Call from another physicianB. Prescription refills neededC. Non-stat lab or x-ray resultsD. A personal friend of the physician 23. After taking a message regarding a patient's care, the assistant should: A. Advise the physicianB. Advise the medical assistantC. Enter into the computerD. Pull the patient's chart 

24. All chart entries must be: A. Signed and filedB. DatedC. Signed and datedD. Printed and dated 25. When using electronic mail, the potential for unintentional disclosure of PHI is: A. LowB. ModerateC. HighD. Impossible 

26. Almost all patients make their first contact with the physician's office in this way? A. By phoneB. By letterC. By e-mailD. In person 27. Hold the mouthpiece of the phone about _____ from your mouth to avoid distortion or faintness of voice: A. 3 inchesB. ½ inchC. 2 inchesD. 1 inch 28. Before appointments can be made, the administrative medical assistant must know the _____ of the physician's office. A. AddressB. Basic scheduleC. Average scheduleD. Basic information 29. A primary consideration in scheduling is allotting time for: A. BreaksB. LunchesC. MeetingsD. Hospital Rounds 30. The abbreviation CC stands for: A. Current ComplaintB. Clinical complianceC. Chief complaintD. Clinical course 

31. In this type of scheduling, patients are seen in the order in which they arrive: A. Open-fixed office hoursB. Wave scheduleC. Double bookingD. Modified wave 32. Another name for wave scheduling is: A. Group schedulingB. Open/fixed office hoursC. Modified waveD. Cluster scheduling 33. What is the difference between stat and "today" appointments? A. The time of the appointmentB. The severity of the conditionC. The length of the appointmentD. The age of the patient 34. This type of scheduling gives patients the flexibility of open office hours while allowing the assistant more control over the flow of patients. A. Double bookingB. Modified waveC. Wave schedulingD. Open/Fixed 35. How often are established patients asked to verify their necessary data? A. Every 3 monthsB. Every 6 monthsC. Once per yearD. Twice per year 

36. Many offices post a sign asking that patients notify the front desk if they are still waiting _____ past their appointment. A. 45 minutesB. 30 minutesC. 20 minutesD. 15 minutes 37. Leaving a _____ interval free in the late morning and again at the end of the day will help you straighten out a delayed schedule. A. 15-20 minuteB. 25-30 minuteC. 30-45 minuteD. 60 minute 38. Mail should be stored according to its: A. SizeB. AddresseeC. DateD. Importance 

39. If confidential mail is opened in error, the administrative medical assistant should reseal the correspondence and: A. Mark with your initialsB. Mark with the date and the word "mistake"C. Mark with the date and initialsD. Mark "opened by mistake" and initial 40. Which type of correspondence relates to the management of the office and may concern insurance companies, lawyers, supply houses and bills to patients? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. Clinical 

41. Which type of correspondence concerns patients, clinical matters and research? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. Clinical 42. Which type of correspondence pertains to the physician's personal rather than professional life, such as notes to friends or letters about the physician's personal business interests? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. Clinical 43. Which type of mail offers overnight delivery to most destinations? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mail 44. Which type of mail includes all correspondence, whether hand written or typed, all bills and all materials sealed against postal inspection and weighing 13 ounces or less? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mail 45. Which type of mail is used for mailing items such as books, catalogs, other printed matter, or merchandise not weighing more than 70 pounds and no more than 130" in length or girth? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mail 

46. Which type of mail provides the greatest security for valuables? A. Registered mailB. Insured mailC. Certified mailD. First class mail 47. Which type of mail offers two-to-three day service to most domestic destinations? A. First class mailB. Express mailC. Parcel postD. Priority mail 48. A copy notation in a letter is placed: A. Immediately after the date.B. One enter stroke below the complimentary closing.C. Below the reference initials and any enclosure notation.D. One enter stroke below the inside address. 49. When processing incoming mail, the office assistant should do all the following except? A. Date stamp the correspondence.B. attach needed patient data to correspondence.C. refrain from opening the physician's mail marked "Confidential."D. place received checks in different locations. 

50. During the monthly office meeting, the method of scheduling appointments was discussed. The patients frequently had wait times in excess of two hours and were very upset by the time the physician saw them. The practice is a large community clinic that uses wave scheduling. Choose which of the following scheduling methods may be a better alternative for the clinic. A. Scheduled appointments in the morning for call-in patients and open hours in the afternoon.B. Wave scheduling with double and triple booking of patients at the top of each hour.C. There is not better scheduling method.D. See a fewer amount of patients each day. 51. While triaging a patient over the phone, the AMA learned the patient had "a really deep cut on the inside of the upper thigh and there was blood everywhere." The patient stated he was not able to stop the bleeding. The patient should be advised to: A. Come to the office, since the wound may become infected.B. Call 911 or go immediately to the emergency department because the patient may have cut into an artery.C. Elevate the leg above his heart and see if the bleeding decreases.D. Schedule an appointment for the following morning. 

52. When Dr. Kendall's administrative medical assistant stepped toward a patient to explain the hospital preadmission procedure, the patient abruptly took a step backwards. Which of the following is the most likely reason for the patient's movement during the communication process? A. The administrative medical assistant had bad breath.B. The patient's cell phone was ringing.C. The patient needed to sit down.D. The administrative medical assistant had intruded into the patient's personal space. 

53. Patrice felt she was being treated rudely by the medical office receptionist. When Patrice arrived for her appointment, the receptionist greeted Patrice, quickly shut the glass window, and began pointing her finger toward Patrice. The receptionist was discussing a newly discovered crack in the wall with the office manager. Patrice felt unwelcome because: A. The receptionist's verbal message did not match her nonverbal message.B. The receptionist's verbal and nonverbal messages were the same.C. The crack on the wall was offensive to Patrice.D. The receptionist did not offer Patrice coffee or water. 54. This type of scheduling is a popular feature because of its ease of searching and time-saving convenience: A. manual schedulingB. computer schedulingC. wave-schedulingD. open scheduling  

Fill in the Blank Questions 55. After taking a message regarding a patient's care, the assistant should obtain the __________. ________________________________________ 56. A __________ may be used to send or receive information about the patient immediately. ________________________________________ 57. All chart notations must be signed and __________. ________________________________________ 

58. Currently, __________ is not the preferred method of communicating medical information. ________________________________________ 59. The __________ for cancellations and rescheduled appointments should be posted in areas accessible to patients such as the waiting area or examination room. ________________________________________ 

 

Multiple Choice Questions ANWSERS1. (p. 72) At the beginning of the communication cycle, who organizes the message? A. PatientB. PhysicianC. SenderD. ReceiverAt the beginning of the communication cycle, the sender organizes the message.

 

2. (p. 72) What is the chosen method for transmitting a message? A. ChannelB. FormatC. MessageD. LineThe chosen method for transmitting a message is called the channel. 

 

3. (p. 72) Giving words and gestures to ideas is known as: A. IllustratingB. ImprovisingC. CodingD. EncodingGiving words and gestures to ideas is known as encoding.

 

4. (p. 73) A slightly tilted head or a perplexed look may indicate that the receiver is: A. NervousB. ConfusedC. ShyD. AggravatedA slightly tilted head or a perplexed look may indicate that the receiver is confused.5. (p. 74) A barrier to effective communication is: A. Inactive listeningB. Active listeningA barrier to effective communication is inactive listening. 6. (p. 74) All of these items contribute to our unspoken message, except: A. HairstyleB. Eye contactC. AppearanceD. Facial ExpressionEye contact, appearance, and facial expression all contribute to our unspoken message. 

 

7. (p. 74) One of the most visible and expressive parts of the body is: A. FaceB. HandsThe face is one of the most visible and expressive parts of the body.

 

8. (p. 74) This is expressed nonverbally by making and keeping eye contact with an audience. A. ApprehensionB. NervousnessC. HappinessD. ConfidenceConfidence is expressed nonverbally by making and keeping eye contact with an audience. 

9. (p. 74) When direct eye contact is maintained, a level of __________ is established. A. CaringB. TrustC. UnderstandingD. ResponsibilityWhen direct eye contact is maintained, a level of trust is established. 

 

10. (p. 75) The public zone used for most public speaking events should be ________ feet or more from your audience. A. 8B. 10C. 12D. 6The public zone used for most public speaking events should be 12 feet or more from your audience. 

11. (p. 75) A social zone is used for communication within __________ feet of our audience. A. 3 to 6B. 6 to12C. 4 to 12D. 5 to 10A social zone is used for communication within 4 to 12 feet of our audience. 12. (p. 76) This type of letter places the dateline at 2 inches. A. Block-styleB. Modified BlockA block-style letter places the dateline at 2 inches.

 

13. (p. 78) How many types of punctuation are used in business letters? A. OneB. TwoC. ThreeD. FourThree types of punctuation are used in business letters. 

 

14. (p. 78) This type of punctuation requires placing a colon after the salutation and a comma after the complementary closing. A. Standard punctuationB. Open punctuationStandard punctuation requires placing a colon after the salutation and a comma after the complementary closing. 

 

15. (p. 79) This type of letter is used when a physician transfers part or all of a patient's care to another physician. A. Follow-up letterB. Referral letterC. Letter of informationD. Letter of acknowledgmentA referral letter is used when a physician transfers part or all of a patient's care to another physician. 

16. (p. 82) When composing the body of an e-mail, the standard protocol is to address how many topics? A. As many as necessaryB. ThreeC. TwoD. OneWhen composing the body of an e-mail, the standard protocol is to address one topic. 

 

17. (p. 83) What should always be done prior to hitting SEND on an e-mail? A. CopyingB. SavingC. ProofreadingD. PrintingProofreading should always be done prior to hitting SEND on an e-mail. 

18. (p. 89) The main channel of communication between the patient and the physician is: A. Face-to-faceB. The telephoneC. E-mailD. Regular mailThe main channel of communication between the patient and the physician is the telephone. 

 

19. (p. 90) What should always be done prior to placing a caller on hold? A. Ask permissionB. Take a messageC. Pull the chartD. Obtain their telephone numberAlways ask the caller's permission prior to placing a caller on hold. 

20. (p. 90) If you must keep a caller on hold for more than _____ seconds, go back on the line and ask the caller if they wish to continue holding. A. 15B. 30C. 45D. 60If you must keep a caller on hold for more than 30 seconds, go back on the line and ask the caller if they wish to continue holding. 

 

21. (p. 90) There are many ways to answer the phone, but the preferred method is to answer with: A. "Hello"B. "Good morning"C. "Dr. _____'s officethis is _____."D. "Please hold the line"The preferred method to answer the phone is "Dr. _____'s officethis is _____." 

22. (p. 93) Which of the following calls should not be handled by taking a message? A. Call from another physicianB. Prescription refills neededC. Non-stat lab or x-ray resultsD. A personal friend of the physicianA call from another physician should not be handled by taking a message. 

 

23. (p. 94) After taking a message regarding a patient's care, the assistant should: A. Advise the physicianB. Advise the medical assistantC. Enter into the computerD. Pull the patient's chartAfter taking a message regarding a patient's care, the assistant should pull the patient's chart. 

 

24. (p. 101) All chart entries must be: A. Signed and filedB. DatedC. Signed and datedD. Printed and datedAll chart entries must be signed and dated. 

25. (p. 89) When using electronic mail, the potential for unintentional disclosure of PHI is: A. LowB. ModerateC. HighD. ImpossibleWhen using electronic mail, the potential for unintentional disclosure of PHI is high. 26. (p. 89) Almost all patients make their first contact with the physician's office in this way? A. By phoneB. By letterC. By e-mailD. In personAlmost all patients make their first contact with the physician's office by phone. 27. (p. 90) Hold the mouthpiece of the phone about _____ from your mouth to avoid distortion or faintness of voice: A. 3 inchesB. ½ inchC. 2 inchesD. 1 inchHold the mouthpiece of the phone about 1 inch from your mouth to avoid distortion or faintness of voice. 

 

28. (p. 102) Before appointments can be made, the administrative medical assistant must know the _____ of the physician's office. A. AddressB. Basic scheduleC. Average scheduleD. Basic informationBefore appointments can be made, the administrative medical assistant must know the basic schedule of the physician's office. 

29. (p. 103) A primary consideration in scheduling is allotting time for: A. BreaksB. LunchesC. MeetingsD. Hospital RoundsA primary consideration in scheduling is allotting time for hospital rounds. 30. (p. 103) The abbreviation CC stands for: A. Current ComplaintB. Clinical complianceC. Chief complaintD. Clinical courseThe abbreviation CC stands for chief complaint. 

31. (p. 103) In this type of scheduling, patients are seen in the order in which they arrive: A. Open-fixed office hoursB. Wave scheduleC. Double bookingD. Modified waveIn open-fixed scheduling, patients are seen in the order in which they arrive. 

 

32. (p. 103) Another name for wave scheduling is: A. Group schedulingB. Open/fixed office hoursC. Modified waveD. Cluster schedulingAnother name for wave scheduling is cluster scheduling. 

 

33. (p. 104) What is the difference between stat and "today" appointments? A. The time of the appointmentB. The severity of the conditionC. The length of the appointmentD. The age of the patientThe difference between a stat appointment and a "today" appointment is the severity of the condition. 

34. (p. 103) This type of scheduling gives patients the flexibility of open office hours while allowing the assistant more control over the flow of patients. A. Double bookingB. Modified waveC. Wave schedulingD. Open/FixedWave scheduling gives patients the flexibility of open office hours while allowing the assistant more control over the flow of patients. 

 

35. (p. 107) How often are established patients asked to verify their necessary data? A. Every 3 monthsB. Every 6 monthsC. Once per yearD. Twice per yearEstablished patients are asked to verify their necessary data once per year. 

36. (p. 110) Many offices post a sign asking that patients notify the front desk if they are still waiting _____ past their appointment. A. 45 minutesB. 30 minutesC. 20 minutesD. 15 minutesMany offices post a sign asking that patients notify the front desk if they are still waiting 20 minutes past their appointment. 

 37. (p. 111) Leaving a _____ interval free in the late morning and again at the end of the day will help you straighten out a delayed schedule. A. 15-20 minuteB. 25-30 minuteC. 30-45 minuteD. 60 minuteLeaving a 15-20 minute interval free in the late morning and again at the end of the day will help you straighten out a delayed schedule. 

38. (p. 112) Mail should be stored according to its: A. SizeB. AddresseeC. DateD. ImportanceMail should be stored according to its importance. 

 

39. (p. 112) If confidential mail is opened in error, the administrative medical assistant should reseal the correspondence and: A. Mark with your initialsB. Mark with the date and the word "mistake"C. Mark with the date and initialsD. Mark "opened by mistake" and initialIf confidential mail is opened in error, the administrative medical assistant should reseal the correspondence and mark "opened by mistake" and initial it. 

40. (p. 113) Which type of correspondence relates to the management of the office and may concern insurance companies, lawyers, supply houses and bills to patients? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. ClinicalBusiness correspondence relates to the management of the office and may concern insurance companies, lawyers, supply houses and bills to patients. 

41. (p. 113) Which type of correspondence concerns patients, clinical matters and research? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. ClinicalProfessional correspondence concerns patients, clinical matters and research. 

42. (p. 114) Which type of correspondence pertains to the physician's personal rather than professional life, such as notes to friends or letters about the physician's personal business interests? A. BusinessB. PersonalC. ProfessionalD. ClinicalPersonal correspondence pertains to the physician's personal rather than professional life, such as notes to friends or letters about the physician's personal business interests.43. (p. 114) Which type of mail offers overnight delivery to most destinations? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mailExpress mail offers overnight delivery to most destinations. 

44. (p. 114) Which type of mail includes all correspondence, whether hand written or typed, all bills and all materials sealed against postal inspection and weighing 13 ounces or less? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mailFirst class mail includes all correspondence, whether hand written or typed, all bills and all materials sealed against postal inspection and weighing 13 ounces or less. 45. (p. 114) Which type of mail is used for mailing items such as books, catalogs, other printed matter, or merchandise not weighing more than 70 pounds and no more than 130" in length or girth? A. Priority mailB. Parcel postC. Express mailD. First class mailParcel post is used for mailing items such as books, catalogs, other printed matter, or merchandise not weighing more than 70 pounds and no more than 130" in length or girth. 

46. (p. 114) Which type of mail provides the greatest security for valuables? A. Registered mailB. Insured mailC. Certified mailD. First class mailRegistered mail provides the greatest security for valuables. 47. (p. 114) Which type of mail offers two-to-three day service to most domestic destinations? A. First class mailB. Express mailC. Parcel postD. Priority mailPriority mail offers two-to-three day service to most domestic destinations. 48. (p. 77) A copy notation in a letter is placed: A. Immediately after the date.B. One enter stroke below the complimentary closing.C. Below the reference initials and any enclosure notation.D. One enter stroke below the inside address.A copy notation in a letter is placed below the reference initials and any enclosure notation. 

49. (p. 112 - 113) When processing incoming mail, the office assistant should do all the following except? A. Date stamp the correspondence.B. attach needed patient data to correspondence.C. refrain from opening the physician's mail marked "Confidential."D. place received checks in different locations.When processing incoming mail, the office assistant should do all the following except place received checks in different locations.  50. (p. 103) During the monthly office meeting, the method of scheduling appointments was discussed. The patients frequently had wait times in excess of two hours and were very upset by the time the physician saw them. The practice is a large community clinic that uses wave scheduling. Choose which of the following scheduling methods may be a better alternative for the clinic. A. Scheduled appointments in the morning for call-in patients and open hours in the afternoon.B. Wave scheduling with double and triple booking of patients at the top of each hour.C. There is not better scheduling method.D. See a fewer amount of patients each day.Scheduled appointments in the morning for call-in patients and open hours in the afternoon would be a better alternative for the clinic. 

51. (p. 93) While triaging a patient over the phone, the AMA learned the patient had "a really deep cut on the inside of the upper thigh and there was blood everywhere." The patient stated he was not able to stop the bleeding. The patient should be advised to: A. Come to the office, since the wound may become infected.B. Call 911 or go immediately to the emergency department because the patient may have cut into an artery.C. Elevate the leg above his heart and see if the bleeding decreases.D. Schedule an appointment for the following morning.The patient should be advised to call 911 or go immediately to the emergency department because the patient may have cut into an artery. 52. (p. 72) When Dr. Kendall's administrative medical assistant stepped toward a patient to explain the hospital preadmission procedure, the patient abruptly took a step backwards. Which of the following is the most likely reason for the patient's movement during the communication process? A. The administrative medical assistant had bad breath.B. The patient's cell phone was ringing.C. The patient needed to sit down.D. The administrative medical assistant had intruded into the patient's personal space.The patient's movement during the communication process was a result of the administrative medical assistant intruding into the patient's personal space. 

53. (p. 74) Patrice felt she was being treated rudely by the medical office receptionist. When Patrice arrived for her appointment, the receptionist greeted Patrice, quickly shut the glass window, and began pointing her finger toward Patrice. The receptionist was discussing a newly discovered crack in the wall with the office manager. Patrice felt unwelcome because: A. The receptionist's verbal message did not match her nonverbal message.B. The receptionist's verbal and nonverbal messages were the same.C. The crack on the wall was offensive to Patrice.D. The receptionist did not offer Patrice coffee or water.Patrice felt unwelcome because the receptionist's verbal and nonverbal message were the same. 54. (p. 104) This type of scheduling is a popular feature because of its ease of searching and time-saving convenience: A. manual schedulingB. computer schedulingC. wave-schedulingD. open schedulingComputer scheduling is a popular feature because of its ease of searching and time-saving convenience. 

  

Fill in the Blank Questions 55. (p. 94) After taking a message regarding a patient's care, the assistant should obtain the __________. Patient's chart56. (p. 100) A __________ may be used to send or receive information about the patient immediately. Fax machine 57. (p. 101) All chart notations must be signed and __________. Dated 

 

58. (p. 102) Currently, __________ is not the preferred method of communicating medical information. E-mail 

59. (p. 110) The __________ for cancellations and rescheduled appointments should be posted in areas accessible to patients such as the waiting area or examination room. Office policy